Blockchain vs. Government Records: Authorship Evidence in International Disputes

Jul 18, 2025

Gabriel Espinoza

In the world of creativity and innovation, protecting our copyrights is not just a formality—it’s a critical necessity. However, when it comes to enforcing those rights in court—especially across borders—not all authorship evidence carries the same weight or efficiency. This is where blockchain technology makes a significant difference compared to traditional methods used by state-run institutions.

What is authorship proof?

Authorship proof is documentary or technical evidence that demonstrates a person created a work at a specific date and time. This proof becomes the foundation of any claim of misuse, plagiarism, or unauthorized appropriation of rights.

There are various ways to generate this proof: from mailing a copy to oneself (the famous but unreliable “poor man’s copyright”) to registering the work with government entities such as INDAUTOR in Mexico, DNDA in Colombia, or the US Copyright Office.

But in an increasingly globalized world, where creative works can circulate across continents in seconds, state-run systems face serious legal and logistical challenges.

The big hurdle for state-issued proofs: international use

Government-issued authorship records are legally valid primarily within their country of origin. To be accepted abroad, the following complex and costly steps are often required:

• Hague Apostille or consular legalization
• Certified/legal translation
• Coordination with embassies or consulates (so-called consular pouches)
• Prolonged wait times and multi-agency processes

All of this means that during a dispute—say, over the plagiarism of a song, software, or design—the creator must spend significant time, money, and effort just to make their evidence legally admissible in the country where the lawsuit is being held.

And even then, there’s no guarantee the court will automatically accept it; the opposing party can challenge its authenticity or integrity.

Enotar.io’s solution: blockchain as a global standard for authorship proof

Enotar.io uses blockchain technology to register creative works in a way that is immutable, immediate, and globally verifiable. The key difference from state systems is that blockchain evidence does not rely on a specific country and requires no diplomatic intermediaries.

Why?

Because when you register a work on the blockchain, it generates a unique cryptographic hash that irreversibly links the file to an exact date and time. This hash is stored on a distributed ledger (in our case, Emercoin), ensuring that:

• The record cannot be altered—not even by Enotar.io.
• The original file can be verified anywhere in the world using technical tools.
• A digital forensic expert can validate the evidence without the need for apostilles or extra certifications.

In other words:
A creative work registered on blockchain can be legally defended in any jurisdiction worldwide, regardless of the author’s nationality.

Key advantages in international litigation

The role of digital forensic experts

In court, judges often rely on independent forensic experts to validate technical evidence. For Enotar.io records, the expert can easily confirm that:

• The file has not been modified since registration
• The hash matches the one stored on the blockchain
• The timestamp matches the declared creation date

This is enough for the evidence to be accepted in any court—no matter the country.

Conclusion: Protect your work with a global mindset

Art, software, designs, academic papers—any creative output—knows no borders. If your work circulates online, it’s very likely you may one day need to defend it in a country other than your own.

Waiting for a legal dispute to find out your authorship evidence is not internationally valid is a risk no creator or company should take.

That’s why at Enotar.io, we don’t just offer a fast and automated registration platform—we provide global, unbreakable authorship proof, ready to defend your work wherever you need it.